Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: WOUND (11/26/20)
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TITLE: Slayer in the Sanctuary | Previous Challenge Entry
By Shanta Richard
11/30/20 -
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The sylvan beauty of the Redwood forest can lift one's soul to incomparable ecstasy. The trees are so tall that they seem to pierce the fluffy white clouds and touch the bright blue sky above. The sunlight, filtering through the green leaves , miraculously turns the dew drops on the forest floor into sparkling diamonds. Strolling through the forest I reminisce about the Garden of Eden, and feel the awesome presence of God.
Walking among those magnificent trees, once in a while, a dead branch on a perfectly healthy tree surprises me. A passing Forest Ranger, noticing me gazing at the dead branch, stopped by and said, " That dead branch is the work of the Red wood tree bark beetle. It is the only mortal enemy to these trees."
"How could such a small insect penetrate the strong, nearly thirteen inch thick bark?," I had to ask.
"Well," he explained, "the mother beetle finds a tender branch and makes a small wound on the young skin. She then lays a bunch of eggs and packs them into the that opening. When the worms hatch out, they wriggle into the center of the branch, and feast upon the nutritious fluid that flows from the trunk of the tree to feed the branch. Fully grown the worm turns into a cocoon and makes another hole and emerges out as a beetle to come again and lay eggs. If not controlled the cycle will continue until the worms follow the path of the nutritious fluid into the trunk of the tree and destroy it. We eradicate the worms before they reach the trunk and save the trees."
Contemplating on the Ranger's words, I recall a similar passage by Jude in the Bible. In lieu of the Redwood trees and the infestation of beetles, Jude's epistle features the church and the infiltration of the false truths into the body of believers.
In just twenty five verses, Jude exhorts the believers to contend for their faith and beware of 'certain men who creep in unawares ' into their fellowship. (The Epistle of Jude: 3&20.) St. Paul, in his letter to the Philippians cautions the believers against disunity in the church. In his concern for the disagreement between Euodias and Syntyche, he entreats the church elders to help them. ( Philippians 3:2-3). A little friction unchecked can blow up a church in time.
A ghastly bleeding wound will attract immediate attention, while a tiny bite from a parasite, or a pinprick from a druggist's needle, can go unnoticed until it has executed it's deadly purpose. It gives me the horrors to think that if Satan implants a tiny hook in my thoughts he can easily draw me into his evil schemes. Only the power of my Savior's atoning blood can protect me. St. Jude ends his message with the Doxology:
" Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen."
( All quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.)
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And I love your title. It drew me to open your article.
I noticed a couple of tiny things that I used to do too until someone pointed it out. Be aware of misplaced modifiers. For example in the sentence that starts: Walking among those magnificent trees, makes it seem like the dead branch is walking among trees. A quick fix could be: Walking...trees, I'm surprised by a dead branch.
Overall though, you've done an outstanding job. You nailed the topic, started with a great hook, and then used the beginning to emphasize the Bible passages. Your ending pulled it all together and gave me something to really think about.